Snakes alive! It’s that time of the year again
IT is officially adder season in Wales as the venomous snakes have been spotted slithering along a popular walking path.
Native to the UK, the snakes have been spotted on a number of occasions of late by people in the Pennard area of Gower, including this one pictured here, which was sighted by Sarah Welsh while walking her dog.
The adders are most active between April and July, which is also the time when the majority of bites have been reported historically.
Adults are roughly 20 to 24 inches long and have a black and brown zigzag pattern along their back and V or X-shaped marking on the back of the head.
Adder bites are fairly rare, and they generally only bite in self-defence, so normally bites occur when a snake is stepped on or disturbed, something which can quite easily happen considering their preferred habitats are sand dunes, rocky hillsides, moorland and woodland edges.
The NHS advises that if you think you have been bitten by a snake, you should call 999 or go to A&E immediately. It says you should stay calm, as most snake bites in the UK are not serious and can be treated, and to keep the part of your body that was bitten as still as you can.
You should take paracetamol for any pain, try to remember the colour and pattern of the snake to tell the doctor, and to take off any jewellery and loosen clothes near the bite in case it swells.
You should not attempt to go near the snake or try to catch or kill it and you should not try to suck or cut the poison out of the bite. The NHS also advises you should not tie anything tightly around the part of the body where the bite is, and not to take aspirin or ibuprofen, as they can make bleeding worse.
Vets4pets says that puppies and young dogs can be especially curious and can unintentionally provoke an adder into biting.
It explains how adder bites in pets can result in swelling around the wound, usually within two hours, sometimes which can be severe. You might be able to see the two puncture wounds in the centre of the swelling, and your dog may show signs of pain, bleeding, bruising, lameness and may appear nervous.
If you find your pet has been bitten, the pet service says you should seek veterinary attention, and carry your dog rather than allowing him or her to walk to try to reduce the spread of venom around the body.
You should bathe the wound in cold water to help control the swelling.